Ventilated fiber optic bushing

Abstract

A ventilated fiber optic bushing includes a bundle of elongated, optical fiber light guides having generally cylindrical diameters, each light guide having a first end remotely emitting light and terminating in a convex second end in a common plane. The bundle is held in a desired shape receiving light through a transparent window having the same size and shape as the fiber bundle, the window being transversely disposed in an aperture of a light projector wherein a cooling fan within the projector draws external air through the aperture around the window. A rigid tube holds the bundle of light guides in the desired shape within the aperture projector with the convex second ends of the guides against the transparent window. A portion of the external air drawn through the projector aperture is drawn longitudinally through interstices between the light guides and transversely between the interstices formed by the convex light guide ends and the transparent window. The rigid tube holding the bundle is removable from the projector aperture.

I claim: 
     
       1. A ventilated fiber optic bushing for receiving light from a light-emitting window within an aperture of a light projector, said window being transversely disposed in said aperture and wherein a cooling fan within the projector draws external air through said aperture around said window; the fiber optic bushing including: a bundle of elongated, optical fiber light guides, said bundle having generally the same size and shape as the light-emitting window of the projector, each of said light guides having a generally cylindrical diameter, a first end remotely emitting light and a second end having a convex termination receiving light from the light-emitting window of the projector;   a rigid tube for holding the bundle of light guides in the shape of the light-emitting window of the projector with the convex second ends of the light guides held in a common plane against the window of the projector;   a means for clamping the fibers into the rigid tube;   wherein a portion of the external air drawn through the projector aperture is drawn longitudinally through interstices between the light guides and transversely between the interstices formed by the convex light guide ends and the transparent window.   
     
     
       2. A ventilation fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which the rigid tube holding the bundle is removable from the projector aperture. 
     
     
       3. A ventilated fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which the means for clamping the light guides into the rigid tube is a length of elastomeric tubing having a first end attached to the rigid tube and a second end compressively urged against the bundle by a circumferential clamp. 
     
     
       4. A ventilated fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which the rigid tube holding the bundle is removable from the aperture of the projector. 
     
     
       5. A ventilated fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which the convex second end of each light guide has a spherical radius at least equal to twice the light guide diameter, and no greater than ten times the light guide diameter. 
     
     
       6. A ventilated fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which the light guides are single optical fibers. 
     
     
       7. A ventilated fiber optic bushing according to claim 1 in which one or more of the light guides is comprised of a plurality of optical fibers bonded together into a cylindrical shape and terminating in a convex second end.